Vettel grabs pole in Canada

Sebastian Vettel (centre) along with Ferando Alonso (left) and Lewis Hamilton following qualifying in Montreal

Sebastian Vettel has scored pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal despite a last-ditch effort from Lewis Hamilton.

The Red Bull Racing driver clocked an impressive 1m 13.784s, Hamilton (McLaren), who had a new set of super-soft Pirelli tyres in Q3, had to be content with beating Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso to the front row with 1m 14.087s.

Vettel’s performance came despite Red Bull being told to change their front hubs and brake ducts after the FIA feared that they were conferring an aerodynamic benefit and the recent modification to the rear floor of the RB8.

Romain Grosjean was a strong seventh for Lotus, while Paul di Resta finally turned the tables on Force India team mate Nico Hulkenberg to be eighth. Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher was ninth ahead of Jenson Button (McLaren).

As Vettel headed Alonso and Hamilton, Q2 ended with drama as Williams’ Pastor Maldonado crunched the ‘Wall of Champions’ followed by a 360 degree spin. Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber) was 11th, losing out to Button by eight-thousands of a second, with Raikkonen next for Lotus and Hulkenberg.